147 - Upki Girl

< What's the Maxim? > "Taejin, what did you think of the May Queens' performance?" The role model mission competition stretched over nine long hours, excluding rehearsals. With the exception of the final performance by Upkey Girl, all 14 teams had completed their stages. Seowon’s friend, Jung Yujin, who had ranked second in the teaser video public vote, performed with her group May Queens as the 14th team. Perhaps due to nerves from it being her first live competition, she didn’t quite match her teaser performance standards. Seowon, aware of Yujin's usual talent, felt disappointed that she couldn’t showcase her skills fully. "Yes, I thought it was quite good overall. Among the 15 teams, this is the only duo. Given there are only two members, even the smallest mistake can be more noticeable compared to other teams." Both members are well-rounded, possessing good looks, vocals, and dance skills, enough to be mainline in any group. However, they seemed to lack stage experience, probably because their debut was the slowest. As they are fundamentally skilled, it is hopeful they will improve with time. The judges awarded May Queens a score of 79.2. Though scores were generally tight due to it being the first competition, it placed them 4th out of 14 teams, in the upper tier. Currently, the team leading is "Pink Candy" with a score of 84.5. Known for their lively songs, out-of-the-box choreography, and eccentric concept, they firmly established their identity in the main competition, as they did in the teaser performance, making it a success. The group in last place, famous for being under-the-radar, was "Apple Soda." Choosing to forego their sexy team concept for a girl’s hip hop routine that matched their song "Attention," Eye Contact earned neither high praise nor harsh criticism, settling into the middle ranks with an averagely received performance and score. As the last performance by Upkey Girl was being prepared, current rankings and a brief line of critique from the judges appeared on the screen. Negative reviews from producer Song Hyunwoo, an idol industry expert, were particularly noticeable for the lower-ranking teams. 1. Pink Candy ―When you have the skills, even oddity can be art. 2. Teenagers ―It seems they played it safe, considering it was their first competition. A smart move. 3. Your Girl ―This team has the largest skill gap between members. Today, the mains carried hard, but the rest need to improve to survive the competition. 4. May Queens ―A team to look forward to in the next competition. 5. Promissuary12 ―Perhaps due to being formed by a popularity vote, there is no 'main' star, and each member is merely adequate. However, their visuals and star quality stand out, and the balance among members was positive. 6. Lip Balm ―The lackluster vocals were covered well by their performance. They are the only team with a ‘strong sister’ concept, which might help their competitive edge. 7. Eye Contact ―Not a bad stage, but it's doubtful it will leave a lasting impression on viewers. 8. Love One ―Skill and charm are different concepts. To become a top idol, both must be combined, but Love One on stage seemed like robots moving according to pre-set programs. 9. Happy Joy ―Judging solely from today's stage, the label 'Plan L's sister group' shouldn't apply. 10. D.N.A ―Watching them made my genes strongly reject.(Song Hyunwoo) 11. Ladybug ―Song choice is a skill too. It was as ill-fitting as an adult's clothes on a child. 12. Girl Power ―It was well-done, given the premise that this was a school trip talent show.(Song Hyunwoo) 13. GIG ―If the concept was ‘boredom,’ then it succeeded. Can I file a lawsuit to get my time back?(Song Hyunwoo) 14. Apple Soda ―This stage perfectly showcased why some teams don't gain popularity.(Song Hyunwoo) Song Hyunwoo. True to his moniker, the "Tear Squeezer," his critiques pierced emotions deeply. Every member he critiqued ended up shedding tears, and GIG's manager, also the company representative, couldn’t control his rage, leaving the venue after hearing the critique. Among the 14 teams, only the top two received something akin to compliments from him. Even those were grudging acknowledgments, more like 'Well, you were better than the rest.' What verdict would Upkey Girl receive? "Upkey Girl, standby please!" The expressions on the kids awaiting their turn backstage were already weary, as if they had already completed their performance. Their long waiting time had taken a toll. While other teams got to move to the panel section to watch and engage in talk segments after performing, Upkey Girl, performing last, had been stuck in the waiting room for nine hours since rehearsals, dampening their spirits. “The Replay Girl project, aiming to rediscover girl groups! Our first competition with the theme of role models is nearing its end with just one team left.” The atmosphere was optimistic on site. Replay Girl had two main MCs, both of whom had ties with Eunbit Seowon. One was Jun Songmo, a professional MC who had previously hosted the show ‘Sing! Duo,’ featuring the members. The other, an idol, drama, and musical actor known as 'Zen.' He had played a secondary lead in the drama 'Era of Dreams,' for which Eunbit Seowon sang the OST. Meeting them before the recording, he mentioned still having the OST on his playlist because he loved it so much. Additionally, he is a member of KU Entertainment’s top idol group, Maximum Top Top (MTT)—the same group as Lee Dongha, with whom Seowon had once collaborated on a gaming broadcast. They spent a few minutes chatting about the mobile game MTT members, including a ranker, played, which was introduced during that broadcast. Known for his wit, Jun Songmo warmly welcomed Eunbit Seowon, wielding his characteristic charm that often placed him at the pinnacle of entertainment league. Upon hearing the meaning behind the name "Upkey Girl," Zen jokingly claimed that he had practically raised them himself from nothing, which drew laughter from those around. For us, this was a fortuitous connection. With both MCs having a shared affinity towards the group, it was likely that they’d ensure Upkey Girl received extra attention during the group recording. "Zen, could you briefly introduce them?" "Yes, Upkey Girl is a five-member group that debuted four months ago. They ranked first in the production team's on-site vote during the teaser performance shoot and are currently leading the online netizen vote, making them a strong contender for the win." "I see. Let's watch their pre-performance interview first. VCR, cue!" With the previous 14 teams watching from the panel bench, the screen displayed the members of Upkey Girl lined up on chairs, like sparrows on a wire. Jangwoo was overseeing the backstage area, while Yeom and I were watching from the audience section behind the judges with other staff and guest reporters. The moment I saw the screen, I felt a chill down my spine. Instead of a formal interview, the footage showed the members off the record, casually chatting amongst themselves before the official interview began. However, their mics were on, capturing their whispered conversations clearly. ―Hmph, hmm. Hng! Hng! ―Why, Honghong unni? Do you have something in your nose? ―Yeah. I want to dig it out with my pinky... Should I sell it? "Kee!" "Puhahaha!" "Keukkeuk." Ah, Hong-ah... ―Look up, I'll take a look for you. ―Will you? Eunbit brought tweezers and a cotton swab from a makeup box and earnestly started cleaning Hong's nose. ―Wow. There must be a pocket inside Honghong unni's nose! Seowon unni, look at this. Something like slime is coming out of Honghong unni's nose! ―Gross. Get rid of it before I whip your hand away... ―Abee! ―Kyaah! Stop, stop! Manager! Euunbit is going crazy! As they shoved the tissue filled with slime toward Seowon, she fled, with Eunbit chasing her, both disappearing out of the frame. Meanwhile, Yona asked Hong in an impossibly deadpan tone, akin to asking if she'd eaten yet. ―Does that feel better? ―Yeah. It feels overwhelmingly better. I can't believe I lived like that until now, it's almost emptily liberating... ―No wonder. Maybe that's why your voice felt a bit stuffy earlier when you sang. ―Maybe. Aaaaah~ It’s clear now, right? ―Yes, it was the slime causing the problem. ―Yona unni, Aliyah still doesn't get what vocalization is. ―You don’t need to know. Aliyah is pretty. ―Sometimes I'm surprised myself, I almost kissed the mirror earlier, everything I do is pretty. Aliyah then started dancing like a barrel man, her humorous moves still maintaining a unique quality and grace. She turned to Hong and asked, ―Isn't this pretty too? ―Sure. I want to live as Aliyah for a day. What's it like? ―Ahung, Honghong unni’s comment is spot on. Here comes Aliyah's dance of courtship for Honghong unni! Tucking her head in and out, flapping her arms like wings, and doing a Michael Jackson moonwalk back and forth made Yona stand up in shock. ―Wow, how do you give off that vibe? Her expression was so serious, as if she wanted to analyze and mimic the moves herself. Yona and Aliyah then started crossing paths with moonwalks in front of the camera, while Eunbit, held by the nape of her neck, was forcibly seated by me. ―Apologize to Seowon. ―I apologize, Lord Seowon... This old lady bows her head, please forgive me just this once. I beg you. Eunbit, transitioning into a skit, bowed her head like a dog caught rummaging through the trash. Meanwhile, Seowon seized the opportunity to play along. ―If an apology was enough, why would we need police or prisons? ―Then, how can this humble one placate your anger, my lord? Please, tell me. ―For two days, go to sleep later than Hong. ―Eek! That’s too harsh a punishment. I'd rather be flogged or put in a pillory! It should be "pillory," right? Going to bed later than Hong meant enduring her snoring, a punishment known as 'sleep hell,' one of Upkey Girl's 10 tortures. Eunbit knelt down, pleading with a face like Kaiji in a gambling apocalypse. Meanwhile, Yona and Aliyah didn't stop their courtship dance, and Hong joined in, moonwalking across the camera view from all angles. Eunbit’s attention finally waned; she joined the dance team as if it were much more fun than the skit with Seowon. ―Honghong unni, what's this dance called? ―Aliyah’s courtship dance. Join us. Hoo, hoo! ―Riya, I want to learn. Teach me. ―Dance isn’t a study, it’s a feel! Just express it in your own way! Hoo, hoo! ―Like this? Slide, slide. When Eunbit clumsily joined in with a moonwalk, Seowon looked on with a scornful expression, as if claiming to be the only sane one among them. Writer Song Jisun, who had stepped away briefly, rolled on the floor laughing at the courtship dance upon her return. "Haha, that's too funny. Now, let’s calm down and start the interview." The kids, lost in their fun, quickly sat back down at Song’s cue, wearing their prettiest expressions, as if nothing had happened, and looked into the camera. Watching the VCR, the judges, other teams, and staff in front of the stage couldn’t contain their laughter. Yeom and I ended up bowing our heads in embarrassment. What’s funny was funny, and what’s embarrassing was still embarrassing. "My brother was in it too..." Yeom muttered, almost as if shifting the blame onto me. I couldn't shake off a sense of guilt for not being able to control the situation earlier. "I naturally thought the camera was off…" The normal interview that followed—though at the time it was full of spontaneous chatter—was edited down to contrast sharply with the previous chaos, amplifying the humor. It seemed less like a setup to ridicule us and more like a clever editing job that highlighted Upkey Girl’s vibrant personality. From the company’s perspective, it might seem embarrassing, but viewers probably found it charming. Honestly, editing is the part of production where the staff can influence rankings the most, so I had worried they might mess with it maliciously. However, in this case, it felt like they handled it with care. "And now, without further ado, the stage for the last team in the Role Model Mission—Upkey Girls, the lively five girls who radiate beagle-like cuteness—begins now!" After the scenes of them receiving lessons from VNF's Hayun and Eunsol concluded, Upkey Girl’s performance finally began. Hyungdong was in charge of the rearrangement, and the performance was a collaborative effort, centered around Yona, with all five members contributing their ideas. They completely abandoned the original sweet and lovely vibe of Hayun and Eunsol’s song, ‘My Dear,’ to create a bold, unique Upkey Girl version. However, it seemed the long wait had taken its toll. The kids, usually strong in live performances, didn’t perform up to their usual standards due to the delay. This was evident in their expressions; right after the performance, Yona and Seowon simultaneously tilted their heads, indicating dissatisfaction. Still, considering most other teams had been so-so, simply finishing the performance without noticeable mistakes might grant them a relative advantage. Scores are calculated based on an average that excludes the highest and lowest scores out of 100 from the judges. “Uh… can I go first?” It was Song Hyunwoo PD, the "tear extractor." Though there was an appointed judge to speak first, he jumped in, which was unprecedented and, naturally, nerve-wracking. The five kids on stage clasped hands and focused on him. "Not sure what the other judges think, but frankly, when I watched this team’s teaser, I thought, ‘What is this?’” The tone was not positive. It was unexpected, especially since their teaser performance had been widely praised. “To me, it was too much. It felt overwhelming trying to pack so much into just three minutes. I didn’t vote for them because of that.” Some judges nodded, as if they could see where he was coming from. “And today’s performance was somewhat predictable. With such talented members, it seemed like they were trying too hard to showcase everything, leaving no room for breath.” Wow. Is this what it means to have an expert's eloquence? His critique was entirely unexpected, yet as he spoke, I found myself agreeing with him. “And my assumption was spot on.” According to his continued critique, the attempt at overturning Hayun and Eunsol’s unique feel, trying a 180-degree twist, ironically made it awkward. He even termed it as the desecration of the original. The kids nodded, acknowledging the difference in thought. Just when I was resigning to the fact that Song Hyunwoo’s sharp critique spared no one, his final words revealed a distinct fondness for Upkey Girl. “Judging standards should be fair, but perhaps I held this team to a stricter standard because of my high expectations for them. But Upkey Girl must rise to meet that level. What’s clear, however, is they were the best today. My score is…” 82 points. It was the highest score Song Hyunwoo had given that day. However, his score was omitted according to the rule discarding the lowest score, along with the highest score of 93 given by Layena, leaving the remaining eight scores to average out. “86.7! Upkey Girl surpasses ‘Pink Candy’ by 2.2 points, claiming first place and earning 10 points!” This laid another cornerstone for striking back at Jin Sangyoon CP and the PDs opposing Upkey Girl. *** “Yes, just a moment. I’ll transfer you to the person in charge.” The day after the Replay Girl recording ended. A phone call came into the office. “Manager, a call from Maxim regarding model offers for Hong and Yona was transferred to you.” Ma-Maxim? Which Maxim? If it were coffee Maxim, wouldn't they say “Dongseo Foods”? So then...? < What's the Maxim? > End